"How about that game last night?"It was my mailman, with me standing at the end of my driveway, chatting about the Orlando Magic's dominating Game 1 win against the Atlanta Hawks the night before.
This, I thought, is what a sports team does. It brings people together with a common topic, and even a common sense of pride. It does it in boardrooms and family rooms, at the water cooler and at the checkout line.

And Joe Henderson:

Some people say Tampa is not rich enough, large enough, or passionate enough to support three pro sports teams. I think they’re wrong. People used to say hockey would never work here, either. These teams are part of the city’s fabric and identity. And when times are flush, like now, they bring people together like nothing else can.

A favorite team is the only thing a male human feels the same about when he is five and when he is 45 and when he is 75. You will change your mind on everything else. Girls, money, hobbies. But you will always still feel the adrenaline rush of a win, and the gutting sadness of a horrible loss.

Of course, despite the public benefit of these private corporations existing, there's no reason teams should lean on the public for money...but hey, it's America! Greed is good!

6 comments:

Nice in-depth "investigating reporting" about how many extra hotel rooms, cars rented, taxis used, boost in business in restaurants & stores in and around Amalie, etc. during the Bolts playoff runs. It's ok, we know things like that are beyond your capabilities. I guess we'll wait till someone else reports it so you can re-report it, and say it's wrong because it would discredit your never ending ideology & agenda...Is Vinik's business at Amalie exempt from your criticism because he's (part) owner of your beloved Red Sox?

Dufala, these things have been discussed at-length here. Countless studies show for every extra dollar spent around the arena, there are fewer dollars being spent at restaurants elsewhere in town, at movie theaters around town, and on other entertainment events. It's not new spending...it's a wash.

The only reports reported here are ones that you only believe in, and "EVERY extra dollar spent", name a study that was able to track "EVERY extra dollar spent" by people that went to or was in town BECAUSE of the games? I guess many people like Dave Briggs, Mike Emrick (NBCSports announcers) would of been in Tampa those days, spending thousands in hotel rooms, food, etc. just to go to the Cobb Theaters, lol, your funny...I guess the "record bed taxes" are from people attending our great movie theaters, and bowling allys...AND! If "it's a wash", then what are we really even talking about? If "it's a wash", then then city isn't losing money like you like to tout w/out evidence like a Trump statemate...

Rick, all I advocate is a positive dose of reality toward Noah's negative views toward the stadium sagas, it's why it's called the "shadow" of the stadium, and not the sunlight...One of my many "positive" views toward the Rays ballpark topic that was always shot down on here for years has finally come to fruition, http://www.tampabay.com/news/rays-soliciting-outside-the-box-ideas-for-new-stadium/2279316 ,I waited to see if Negative Noah would finally post something positive after the "8th year of his blog", nahh...